Load/unload transfer carriage

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to an article or package loading and unloading machine, and more specifically to a machine for transferring articles from a relatively stationary platform or fixed path conveyor to an adjacent, movable skid or car and simultaneously transferring articles from a second car located adjacent said stationary platform or conveyor into said platform. Basically the machine comprises two vertically reciprocal pickup heads arranged in cooperating relationship on a single, horizontally reciprocal frame or carriage, one of the pickup heads transferring articles from the stationary platform to an adjacent, empty skid or other portable platform, and the second pickup head simultaneously transferring articles from a second loading skid onto the stationary platform during the return trip of the carriage.

United States Patent [72] Inventor JohnJ.Brown,Jr.

Siler City, N.C. [21] Appl. No. 816,274 [22] Filed Apr. 15. 1969 [45]Patented [73] Assignee [54] LOAD/UNLOAD TRANSFER CARRIAGE 6 Claims, 6Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 214/6 FS, 214/1 BT, 214/85 D [51] Int. Cl i i B653 60/00[50] Field of Search 214/1 BS 2, 1B2,6,6A,6M,6FS,6DS,6G,6P,8.5D,6P, 301

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,524,846 10/1950 Socke etal. 214/6 (FS) X 2,704,593 3/1955 Galloway.... 214/6 (M) X 3,037,6446/1962 Segur 214/6 (A) 3,151,753 10/1964 Verrinder et a1. 214/6 (P) X3,225,891 12/1965 Hickin et al. 214/1 (BS2)X 74 X t y E as 4 l a l 343,231,118 1/1966 Willsey 214/301 3,367,823 2/1968 Clausen et al. 214/6(FS) UX 3,412,874 11/1968 Shiffer 214/6 (A) 3,450,287 6/1969 Dubus 314/l(B2)X- FOREIGN PATENTS 554,399 1/1957 ltaly 214/6 FS 1,122,893 1/1962Germany 2l4/8.5 D

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza As vistam ExaminerRobert .l. SparAttorney-Hunt, Heard and Rhodes ABSTRACT: The present invention isdirected to an article or package loading and unloading machine, andmore specifically to a machine for transferring articles from arelatively stationary platform or fixed path conveyor to an adjacent,movable skid or car and simultaneously transferring articles from asecond car located adjacent said stationary platform or conveyor intosaid platform.

Basically the machine comprises two vertically reciprocal pickup headsarranged in cooperating relationship on a single, horizontallyreciprocal frame or carriage, one of the pickup heads transferringarticles from the stationary platform to an adjacent, empty skid orother portable platform, and the second pickup head simultaneouslytransferring articles from a second loading skid onto the stationaryplatform during the return trip of the carriage.

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0% 4 9a ISA I58 CR6 LRI MSI PROGRAM STATUS q vs! Low JNVENTOR. as 97 1 iA JOHN J. BROWN JR. -v .FOR EXTERNAL ALARM F|G 6 FOR VACUUM FAILURE BY*WM i CO- CARRIAGE OVER LOAD/UNLOAD TRANSFER CARRIAGE CROSS-REFERENCE TORELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of applicantscopending application, Ser. No. 816,243, filed Apr. 15, 1969, entitledSystem for Automatically Handling Setters Filled with Ceramic Tile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the processing of some types ofarticles through a manufacturing plant, it commonly becomes necessary toremove the articles from a stationary platform or from one station on aconveyor system, send them elsewhere in the plant for a separateoperation,then bring the articles back to the same station to continuetheir processing flow. For example,

. as described in applicants copending application Ser. No.

816,243, in the manufacture of ceramic tile squares, raw or green tilesto be sent to a kiln for firing are loaded by a suitable loading meansinto setters or saggers as the setters move along a first conveyor-to besent to a kiln for firing. The setters then embark on a path around aclosed conveyor loop, and are transferred to a second indexing conveyor,whereupon they are removed and placed on a kiln car for firing in akiln. After the tiles are cured, the kiln car returns to the conveyorsystem where the setters are removed. The second conveyor, transferredto a third conveyor where they are emptied, the tiles cleaned and thesetters returned to the loading means for reloading.

In such a system it has been found advantageous to utilize a transfercarriage comprising a single frame and hydraulic system supporting apair of pickup heads. One pickup head lifts and transfers setters fromthe second conveyor, depositing them on an adjacent, empty kiln car, andduring the return trip the other pickup head lifts and transfers settersfrom a loaded kiln car, depositing them on the second conveyor, so thatduring each transfer or movement of the transfer carriage, a load ofsetters is being transported, eliminating wasted motion. The termrelatively stationary platform, as used herein is defined as a loadingdock or fixed path conveyor as opposed to a portable skid or car.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a load/unloadtransfer carriage for simultaneously transferring packages from arelatively stationary platform to a portable skid or car and from asecond skid or car back to the stationary platform.

It is another object of this invention to provide a load/unload transfercarriage which is reciprocal between a relatively stationary platformand an adjacent, parallel line of portable skids or cars, wherein a loadof articles is transported during each horizontal movement of thecarriage.

It is another object of the invention to provide a transfer carriage ofthe type described which is activated in response to the receipt of afull course of articles to unload one course of articles from theconveyor and simultaneously load another course onto the conveyor.

It is yet another and more specific object of the invention to provide atransfer carriage of the type described comprising a pair ofhorizontally and vertically reciprocal pickup heads, one of said headsadapted to grasp and transfer a course of articles from a fixed pathconveyor to an adjacent portable platform, and the other pickup headadapted to simultaneously grasp and transfer a course of articles from afilled portable platform over onto the same conveyor at a point spacedsuccessively down the conveyor from said first course.

Further objects and advantages within the scope of this invention suchas relate to arrangements, operations, and func tion of the relatedelements of the structure, and various details of the construction willbecome apparent from a con sideration of the specification and drawingsof the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

The operation of the machine and objects of the invention may be betterunderstood in connection with a complete description which will be givenin connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective illustration of the load/unload transfercarriage according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration with parts broken away of the upperportion of the load/unload transfer carriage shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the load/unload transfer carriage shown in FIG.I;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the transfer carriage shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the transfer carriage shown in FIG. 1; and FIG.6 is a schematic wiring diagram 0 part of the electrical control systemused in the arrangement of FIG. 1.

LOAD/UNLOAD TRANSFER CARRIAGE Turning now to the drawings and moreparticularly to FIG. 1, the load/unload transfer carriage 20 comprises aframework 22 overlying the major portion of indexing conveyor 24 and theadjacent loading positions of portable platforms, skids or cars 26 and28. The framework 22 includes vertical support beams 30, 32, 34, 36, 38,and 40 supporting an upper, horizontally disposed, rectangular frame 42which in turn comprises generally front channel 44, rear channel 48, andside channels 46 and 50 fastened together and secured to the sixvertical supports. Intermediate channel 52 extends between front channel44 and rear channel 48 parallel to and approximately midway between theside channels 46 and 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a transversely reciprocal carriage orbeam 54includes wheels 55 which are supported on the lower flanges ofchannels 46, 50, and 52 and adapted to roll back and forth in a front torear direction. Beam 54 supports and transversely reciprocates pickupheads 56 and 58 between a first position above indexing conveyor 24 anda second position above portable platforms 26, 28 and is operated by adouble acting hydraulic cylinder 60, having the piston thereof attachedto frame 42 and the housing thereof attached to beam 54 (see FIG. 5).

More specifically, carriage 54 comprises a central support beam 62 towhich hydraulic cylinder 64 is attached with the housing 66 of hydrauliccylinder 64 extending above support beam 62 and the operating piston 68extending through an opening 70 in central beam 62.

Pickup head 56 is suspended from the lower end of the hydraulic piston68 which operates to reciprocate pickup head 56 in a vertical path tolift and lower the courses of articles. Support beam 62 further includesa pair of openings 72, one on either side of opening 70 through whichsupport rods 74 and 76 are slidably received. The lower end of supportrods 74 and 76 are connected to the framework of pickup head 56, andoperate to prevent skewing of the pickup head during transfer.

Pickup head 56 itself comprises a rectangular horizontal framework 78attached to piston 68 and supporting a series of downwardly facingvacuum cups 80 which engage packages A and B when pickup head 56 islowered. A length of flexible tubing 82 connects each vacuum cup 80 withone of several vacuum conduits 84 supported by rectangular framework 78.A longer section of flexible tubing connects each vacuum conduit 84 witha source of suction 86 which in turn comprises essentially a motor 88driving a centrifugal pump 90. A portion of rectangular frame 42, forexample front member 44 is actually a hollow, longitudinal member sealedfrom the atmosphere and connected into the vacuum system to provide avacuum reservoir in case of a power failure or if the source of vacuumfails. This insures that the course of packages being held at the timewill not fall causing damage.

Pickup head 58 is identical to 56 as far as the mechanical parts areconcerned, and therefore the same element numbers will be used torepresent the details corresponding to pickup head 56. Thedistinguishing feature between pickup head 58 and 56 is that thepneumatic cycle of pickup head 58 is the reverse of pickup head 56, sothat when the vacuum is applied to the vacuum cups 80 of pickup head 56the vacuum is released from the suction cups of pickup head 58 and visever- The vertical movement of pickup heads 56, 58 occurs between anupper, constant level transfer position and a lower, variable-levelrelease/pickup position. At the upper level, the pickup heads alwaysreturn to the same position which is obtained when they reach the upperlimit of their movement. A switching or other suitable means is used toterminate the movement thereof when the upper limit is reached. Thepickup heads, including a course of setters when such is the case, arethen in a position for transfer that will allow the horizontal movementof support beam 54 between its two positions without the heads orsetters coming into contact with any part of the system, which wouldcause damage thereto or interfere with the operation thereof. The lower,variable-level release/pickup position is defined by the level to whichthe pickup heads extend during their downward movement before themovement is terminated by a sensing means indicating that the pickupheads are at their proper level for releasing or picking up a course ofsetters. When moving downwardly, the movement of the pickup heads isindependent of each other in that they each seek their own proper levelat which to conduct their pickup or release operation.

In operation, a portable platform, skid or car 28 returns to thetransfer carriage loaded with several courses of packages which have hadoperations performed on them elsewhere, where it is positioned adjacentindexing conveyor 24 beneath pickup head 58. An empty car 26 issimilarly positioned adjacent the other or head end of conveyor 24beneath pickup head 56. After a complete course of packages is loadedonto the initial end of conveyor 24, by transfer means 57 that lifts apair of setters A and B from a first conveyor 21, and transfers themonto the surface of conveyor 24, which conveyor indexes forwardly eachtime a pair of setters is transferred thereon to stop said setters atpositions forming a course or layer, pickup carriage is activated byappropriate signal such as a limit switch LS13 (FIG. 6). To clarify theoperation of conveyor 24, as transfer device 57 lifts a pair of settersA and B and transfers them onto conveyor 24, a series of photoelectriceyes or cells (not shown) are mounted adjacent the entrance end ofindexing conveyor 24 and are selected in sequence by a Step Switch (notshown) to stop setters A and B at positions which form a course orlayer. The setters advance one position at .a time along the indexingconveyor 24, and upon the filling of the course or layer, the pickupheads 56 and 58 then descent until vacuum cups 80 of pickup head 56engage the top wall of packages A and B, whereupon a sensing means (notshown) terminates the downward movement thereof and the vacuum isapplied to grasp the packages, whereupon the pickup heads are elevated.During this operation pickup head 58 contains the last or lower courseof packages from the previous car 28, and the vacuum is released todeposit them on conveyor 24 at the same time the vacuum to pickup head56 is applied. A course, after being removed from car 28 and depositedon conveyor 24, moves to the end of said conveyor where it is removed,one pair of setters at a time, by a transfer means (not shown) similarto the transfer means 57 positioned at the other end of conveyor 24, andplaced on a third conveyor for unloading of the setters.

When a course of packages has been lifted and the pickup head 56 reachesits upper extent, hydraulic cylinder 60 is activated by the advance ofstep switch A to move carriage 54 transversely to a position wherepickup head 56 is above empty car 26. Hydraulic cylinder 64 is thenactivated by a further advance of step switch A and operates to lowerpickup heads 56 and 58 whereupon the vacuum is released to deposit thecourse of packages onto car 26, while pickup head 58 engages the topcourse of packages from loaded car 28 and the vacuum applied thereto.Pickup heads 56 and 58, though further advances of step switch A arethen elevated to their uppermost position and traverse back to aposition overlying conveyor 24. When another course of packages isformed on the surface of conveyor 24, the cycle is repeated, and afterevery third cycle a new loaded skid or car is moved into positionbeneath pickup head 58 by a standard under-car pusher device 92 and skidor car 26 which has become loaded is moved out, for processing elsewherebefore returning as one of cars 28.

The present system is electrically controlled and hydrauli callypowered, the electrical controls comprising generally a system whereby aseries of switches indicate or prove when each apparatus is ready toproceed to the next step. At such a time as all proofs are met, thesystem automatically activates each station to advance the entiremachine one step.

A complete description of the present system is contained in applicant'scopending application Ser. No. 816,243; therefore, only the electricaloperation relevant to the present invention will be discussed herein.

At rest, the transfer carriage S4 is normally positioned over theindexing conveyor 24, with pickup head 56 empty and pickup head 58 full.At this time step switch A (FIG. 6) is in position 1. Limit switch L813is engaged and operated when the indexing conveyor 24 fills with courseor layer of setters A and B containing green tile, activating bothpickup heads 56 and 58 to bring them down to a position immediatelyabove the surface of indexing conveyor 24. Limit switches L514 and LSlSare engaged by the downward movement of pickup heads 56 and 58respectively, and when both limit switches have been engaged, the vacuumvalve V53 shifts, releasing the load of setters from pickup head 58 andplacing vacuum on the vacuum heads of pickup head 56. Control relay CR2then activates both pickup heads 56 and 58 to lift them, whereupon limitswitches LSl8 and LS19, are engaged, advancing step switch A to position2, which energizes a traverse valve actuating hydraulic cylinder 60.Carriage 54 is then moved to a position over the kiln cars 26 and 28,whereupon a limit switch L816 is engaged advancing the step switch toposition 3. Pickup heads 56 and 58 are then lowered until limit switchesLS l4 and LSlS are engaged by pickup heads 56 and 58 respectively,whereupon the downward movement of the pickup heads is terminated.Vacuum switch 2 connected with pickup head 56 then closes, gripping acourse of setters from kiln car 28, and simultaneously vacuum switch VSlreleases the vacuum to pickup head 56 dropping a course of setters intokiln car 26. The pickup heads 56 and 58 are then activated by controlrelay CR2, and lifted until limit switches L518 and L819 are engaged,providing the hoists are up and advancing step switch A to position 4.Control relay CR2 then releases as the step switch advances, whereuponthe traverse valve is energized to return carriage 54 to a position atopthe indexing conveyor 24, and limit switch LS 17 is engaged, moving thestep switch A to position 5. Pickup heads 56 and 58 then await a signalfrom limit switch LSl3 which begins the cycle again. The transporting ofthe second course of setters occurs on steps 5, 6, 7, and 8 of stepswitch A and on position 9 the pickup heads 56 and 58 are waiting forthe third course. The transporting of the third course occurs onpositions 9-12 of step switch A, whereupon shifting of the kiln carsoccurs. After the kiln cars are moved and the proof satisfied, stepswitch A resets to position 1 where the cycle begins again.

There is thus provided a load/unload transfer carriage which is adaptedto simultaneously transfer articles from a relatively stationaryplatform to an adjacent portable platform and from a second portableplatform back to the stationary platform. Such an arrangement eliminatesempty moves of the carriage which normally occur on its return.

it is obvious that various changes and improvements may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. For example, hydrauliccylinders are disclosed as being the motive force for the transfers,however air cylinders could also be used. Therefore the invention is notto be limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and describedin the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What l claim is:

1. in a closed loop conveyor system for handling setters filled withceramic tile, wherein said system includes a first conveyor having aloading means to fill said setters with uncured ceramic tiles, asecond-indexing conveyor adapted to receive said loaded setters fromsaid first conveyor and to accumulate said setters into a course ofpackages for removal from said second conveyor and stacking in courseson a first portable platform for transfer to a curing kiln, whilecourses of packages comprising setters-of cured ceramic tiles aresimultaneously unstacked from a second portable platform returned fromthe curing kiln to said second conveyor, said second conveyor beingindexed forwardly each time a course of setters containing uncured tileis removed therefrom and a course of setters containing cured tile isdeposited thereon in order to position another uncured course of settersfor pickup and to carry away the setters of cured tiles previouslydeposited thereon, a third conveyor adapted to receive the setters ofcured tiles from said second conveyor, wherein said improvementcomprises a load/unload transfer means for transferring said courses ofsetters from said second conveyor to said first portable platform whilesimultaneously unloading courses of setters from said second portableplatform onto said second conveyor, said transfer means comprising:

a. a supporting framework overlying said second conveyor and said firstand second portable platforms;

b. a horizontally reciprocal support beam mounted on said framework andbeing reciprocal between a first position overlying said second conveyorand a second position overlying said first and second and secondportable platforms, the longitudinal axis of said support beam beingparallel to the longitudinal axis of said second conveyor;

c. vertically reciprocal pickup heads received on opposite ends of saidsupport beam, sad pickup heads overlying said second conveyor when saidsupport beam is in said first position and overlying said first andsecond portable platforms when said support beam is in said secondposition;

d. said pickup heads being vertically reciprocal between an upperconstant level transfer position and a lower, variable levelrelease/pickup position, the movement of each of said pickup heads fromsaid upper position to said lower position being independent of eachother;

e. a sensing means for terminating the downward movement of the pickupheads at the release/pickup point upon engagement of said pickup headwith the top of said course of setters during pickup and upon engagementof the bottom of said course of setters with the deposit surface uponrelease thereof, whereby courses of setters may be picked up anddeposited simultaneously at varying vertical positions while saidsupport beam is in said second position; and

f. means on said pickup head for selectively gripping said courses ofsetters when in engagement therewith in said lower position andreleasing said setters when in said lower position.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said supporting frameworkincludes horizontally extending flanges and said reciprocal beamincludes wheels attached thereto, said wheels riding along said flanges.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said beam further isactivated for horizontal movement by a double acting hydraulic cylinder.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein the housing of saidhydraulic cylinder is attached to said beam and the free end of thepiston of said cylinder is attached to said supporting framework.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said beam further includesa pair of vertically mounted hydraulic cylinders, each of said first andsecond pickup heads attached to the free end of the piston of one ofsaid hydraulic cylinders, whereby activation of the hydraulic cylinderraises and lowers the pickup heads.

6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pickup heads includea plurality of downwardly facing vacuum cups, said pickup heads havingmeans associated thereto for terminating the downward movement thereofwhen said vacuum cups engage the upper surface of said packa es, saidvacuum cups being connected to a source of suction or gripping saidarticles and holding them during upward movement of said pickup heads.

1. In a closed loop conveyor system for handling setters filled withceramic tile, wherein said system includes a first conveyor having aloading means to fill said setters with uncured ceramic tiles, asecond-indexing conveyor adapted to receive said loaded setters fromsaid first conveyor and to accumulate said setters into a course ofpackages for removal from said second conveyor and stacking in courseson a first portable platform for transfer to a curing kiln, whilecourses of packages comprising setters of cured ceramic tiles aresimultaneously unstacked from a second portable platform returned fromthe curing kiln to said second conveyor, said second conveyor beingindexed forwardly each time a course of setters containing uncured tileis removed therefrom and a course of setters containing cured tile isdeposited thereon in order to position another uncured course of settersfor pickup and to carry away the setters of cured tiles previouslydeposited thereon, a third conveyor adapted to receive the setters ofcured tiles from said second conveyor, wherein said improvementcomprises a load/unload transfer means for transferring said courses ofsetters from said second conveyor to said first portable platform whilesimultaneously unloading courses of setters from said second portableplatform onto said second conveyor, said transfer means comprising: a. asupporting framework overlying said second conveyor and said first andsecond portable platforms; b. a horizontally reciprocal support beammounted on said framework and being reciprocal between a first positionoverlying said second conveyor and a second position overlying saidfirst and second and second portable platforms, the longitudinal axis ofsaid support beam being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said secondconveyor; c. vertically reciprocal pickup heads received on oppositeends of said support beam, sad pickup heads overlying said secondconveyor when said support beam is in said first position and overlyingsaid first and second portable platforms when said support beam is insaid second position; d. said pickup heads being vertically reciprocalbetween an upper constant level transfer position and a lower, variablelevel release/pickup position, the movement of each of said pickup headsfrom said upper position to said lower position being independent ofeach other; e. a sensing means for terminating the downward movement ofthe pickup heads at the release/pickup point upon engagement of saidpickup head with the top of said course of setters during pickup andupon engagement of the bottom of said course of setters with the depositsurface upon release thereof, whereby courses of setters may be pickedup and deposited simultaneously at varying vertical positions while saidsupport beam is in said second position; and f. means on said pickuphead for selectively gripping said courses of setters when in engagementtherewith in said lower position and releasing said setters when in saidlower position.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein saidsupporting framework includes horizontally extending flanges and saidreciprocal beam includes wheels attached thereto, said wheels ridingalong said flanges.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein saidbeam further is activated for horizontal movement by a double actinghydraulic cylinder.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein thehousing of said hydraulic cylinder is attached to said beam and the freeend of the piston of said cylinder is attached to said supportingframework.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said beamfurther includes a pair of vertically mounted hydraulic cylinders, eachof said first and second pickup heads attached to the free end of thepiston of one of said hydraulic cylinders, whereby activation of thehydraulic cylinder raises and lowers the pickup heads.
 6. The inventionaccording to claim 1 wherein said pickup heads include a plurality ofdownwardly facing vacuum cups, said pickup heads having means associatedthereto for terminating the downward movement thereof when said vacuumcups engage the upper surface of said packages, said vacuum cups beingconnected to a source of suction for gripping said articles and holdingthem during upward movement of said pickup heads.